IndigoVision's complete end-to-end IP Video solution is helping global logistics specialist Kühne+Nagel to streamline and secure its distribution network in Austria. The new networked digital CCTV system provides both security surveillance and a video record of truck and parcel movements throughout their five Austrian distribution centers in Vienna, Schwechat Airport, Port Enns, Salzburg and Linz.
As a truck arrives at a distribution center an operator tracks its movement with a PTZ dome, which monitors and records the unloading process together with the truck number plate, the driver's identity and the truck's arrival time. This video record provides an important element in their packet tracking system and provides visual evidence in the event of a shipping problem. The CCTV system also provides traditional security surveillance to protect against intruders and possible theft both inside and outside of the warehouse.
The system was designed and installed by IndigoVision's local partner C&C Salzgeber GmbH in Vienna and used both Kühne+Nagel's existing network infrastructure and much of the original analog CCTV system wiring at each of the distribution centers. The analog feed from each CCTV camera is connected to an IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver rack module, which converts the signal to high-quality full frame-rate digital video for transmission over the IP network. IndigoVision's MPEG-4 compression technology ensures DVD-quality video can be transmitted over large distances with minimal impact on network bandwidth. ‘Control Center', IndigoVision's IP Video and Alarm Management software is used by the operators to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras. Up to 30 days of video is recorded using an IndigoVision Network Video Recorder (NVR) located at each site.
Erich Varga, IT-Director at KÜHNE+NAGEL said about the successful implementation of the IndigoVision system, "When selecting a video codec it was important to find a solution which guaranteed minimum bandwidth with a high image quality. With this system we can now access video from the headquarters in Vienna, Schwechat Airport, Port Enns, Linz and Salzburg from any of our locations without incurring bandwidth issues on the network."
The main control room in Vienna, some 300km away from the furthest distribution center, uses a dedicated ‘Control Center' workstation to view video from each site, although video from any camera can be viewed on any ‘Control Center' workstation wherever it is located on the network. Both live video from any camera and recorded video from any NVR in the system can be viewed and analyzed. Additional ‘Control Center' workstations are located at each of the distribution centers for local monitoring and control. IndigoVision's ‘Control Center' software architecture allows the user to install as many operator workstations as required for no more than the cost of a PC - a significant cost saving for a project of this scale.
